Sunday 1 May
Championship Reaction - Part 3: Players
Part three of our series has the reaction of several players - a number of which were winning their first Highland League Championship

Skipper Russell Guild has been a player and supporter for a number of years: "I certainly feel on top of the world right now. We thought the chance to win it had gone and when Richie popped up with the equaliser that late it's the kind of breaks you need at times.
To play for a team like this you've really got to prove you can do such a thing."

Guild had previously watched the team throughout the 90s before signing under Phil Bonnyman in 1999: "when you play for Huntly, until you actually win the title you don't know how it would've felt for the players of that era.
It was meant to be our day and it's such a fantastic feeling and we'll go and enjoy tonight and the next two weeks.

One of a number of local lads to be involved this season was Gordon Farmer: "Obviously at the start of the season when Mike and Billy took me back the squad had the capabilities of winning the league.
I left Deveronvale who are a good side with a good squad, but for me it's playing for my local side and enjoying my football.

Having grew up just over fence from Christie Park, he was delighted to return to his local side and claim only his second medal for the club

"I think I missed being part of large number of locals including Guildy and Martin. When I left for Vale I found it difficult to settle in when I'd been playing alongside guys like Russell as a youngster and Martin Stewart who's always tried to push me to do better in my career and I'm absolutely delighted to have won the league today."

Striker Jerry O'Driscoll has weighed in with some important goals this season: "I'm delighted; it was good season for me as well.
We've a good bunch of boys who like to play football and we showed our character here today."

O'Driscoll had previously been in the Scottish Leagues with Dundee and Montrose and his experience has rubbed off on some of the younger lads around him

"We've got some older players like me, Davie and Martin and but everyone's put in the work in.
If you put in the work that's needed you'll get your rewards at the end of it and we've worked really, really hard this year and it's thoroughly deserved.
You don't get to the top of the league by being lucky all the time - you get there by hard work and some great ability and I'm delighted for everybody, the players and management."

Goalkeeper Richard Bowman has been one of the key players this term and kept 9 clean sheets thus far in the league: "it took a last minute goal and it was one of those where I honestly thought we were beat today but Richie came up with the goods and scored two cracking goals.
This is a fantastic team and we've only lost two games this season and had a couple of runs were we went unbeaten for a good while - everybody in the team has been brilliant!"

A few years ago, bowman was at the other end of the table with Rothes and will stand to pick him his championship medal against former side Buckie Thistle: "I never thought this moment would come but all good things come to those who wait but I can't believe it has to be honest."

Another key player at the back has been 22 year old centre half Ross Campbell: "I'm fairly delighted and over the moon I can't believe we won it that late on in the game.
It's been a long time coming and I made my debut when I was only 17 back in 1999 and coming in back then Huntly had a big tradition for winning trophies.
Ross also paid tribute to two of last season's regulars who have missed a year of football due to injuries: "Eventually winning something means everything to me and especially for boys like Reggie and Redford missed all season through injury."

Campbell has chipped in with several crucial goals which have boosted his own profile in the Highland League: "I've been on the pens this season but I should still be scoring more with my head. I felt I should've scored today but we won the league and that's all that matters."

A massive thanks to Fraser Newlands for the above photos.